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Program Philosophy

OccupationIn 1917 the profession of occupational therapy was founded for the following purposes:
"the advancement of occupation as a therapeutic measure"; "the study of the effect
of occupation on the human being"; and "the scientific dispensation of this knowledge"
(National Society for the Promotion of Occupational Therapy, 1917, p.1). The philosophy
of the Occupational Therapy Doctoral (OTD) degree program at the University of Toledo
reflects this commitment to the use and study of occupation as a therapeutic measure.

Because of its focus on occupation, the profession of occupational therapy has a vital
and unique mission in health care. "Occupation" involves doing things that are meaningful
and purposeful to the individual. For example, preparing a meal, playing a game, washing
a car, completing a school assignment, and finishing a task at work are all occupations
of daily life. Indeed, we can think about a person's life as a stream of occupations
engaged in by the individual. To a great extent, we are what we do. Further, our doing
or occupation actually shapes our character: we become as we do. And we reveal who
we are (our abilities, our values, and our other characteristics) through our occupations.
Occupation characterizes the dignity and uniqueness of humanity.

Therapeutic OccupationTherapeutic occupation is based on the principle that people can actually improve their health
and well-being by engaging in occupations. The patient or client in occupational therapy
is an active participant, not a passive recipient of services. For example, a child
with a movement disorder can acquire better motor patterns while playing a game designed
by the occupational therapist. Or, for another example, a client in a community mental
health program can develop skills in personal financial management and other necessary
tasks of daily life with the assistance of the occupational therapist. Sometimes,
therapeutic occupation involves new growth in the person, or adaptation. In other
cases, therapeutic occupation involves ways around the problem, as in compensation.
Whether through adaptation or compensation, occupation offers significant therapeutic
benefits to many different populations in many different settings.

The Occupational TherapistThe occupational therapist is a facilitator of therapeutic occupation. The therapist's
role is to collaborate with the person who is active in the pursuit of one's own enhanced
health. In doing so, the occupational therapist must draw upon a wide array of knowledge,
including biology, psychology, sociology, anthropology, various health professions,
as well as the body of knowledge that is specific to occupational therapy. While many
professions draw upon an interdisciplinary base, the uniqueness of occupational therapy
is that the patient or client actually helps oneself through active occupation. No
other profession is based on this principle. The profession of occupational therapy
is aptly named: occupation is the method of therapy.

Clinical Assistant Professor Lynne Chapman and alumna Missy Rugh work with a gentleman
following his amputation.

The UT OTD Conceptual Framework of Therapeutic OccupationThe OTD program at UT focuses on the study and application of occupation as a therapeutic
method. This is the program's commitment to the public, to the profession, to our
students, and to those who will receive therapeutic services from our students in
the future. To fulfill this commitment, the faculty members of the OTD program advocate
a distinctive perspective on the study of occupation. We call this perspective the
Conceptual Framework of Therapeutic Occupation, or CFTO (Nelson, 1997). CFTO involves
precise definitions of key occupational terms, such as meaning, purpose, occupational
form, occupational performance, adaptation, and impact. This terminology is helpful
both in the analysis of clinical problems and in the analysis of research problems
in occupational therapy. Early in the curriculum OTD students at UT master CFTO terminology
as a base for later explorations of the many facets of occupational therapy. The fact
is that there are many different approaches, or models of practice, in the profession
of occupational therapy. CFTO provides a common language and way of thinking about
the various models of practice and the underlying processes of occupational therapy.
Therefore, CFTO provides a firm identity for occupational therapists. CFTO is the
common thread of ideas with which the UT OTD program is woven.

Doctoral Education in Occupational TherapyThe goal for the OTD program is for the student as a future therapist to have a personal
commitment to the advancement of occupational therapy practice, advocacy, and research.
The program's faculty view the graduate student as a future colleague. Like graduate
programs of high quality in other fields, the OTD program brings faculty and students
together in a joint effort to improve the field, not just to impart or absorb information.
A graduate program involves the building of knowledge as well as the attainment of
knowledge. Every course in the OTD program requires abstract reasoning as well as
self-direction. As the OTD student acquires knowledge and skill, an important role
is to teach fellow students. The graduate student not only learns about the past and
present of the profession, but also shares in the design of the future of the profession.
Upon graduation, the newly certified and licensed occupational therapist is well prepared
to begin a career of excellence in practice, advocacy, and research.

Preparation for entry-level Occupational Therapy PracticeThe UT OTD program also provides a solid foundation in the practical aspects of occupational
therapy. The student experiences clinical practice in every semester throughout the
curriculum. In the early stages of the curriculum, the student observes the occupational
therapy process and learns to analyze therapeutic occupations. With increasing knowledge,
skill, and self-awareness, the student gradually begins to plan occupational therapy
evaluations and interventions under the supervision of faculty and occupational therapy
practitioners. Over time, the student experiences first-hand the practice of occupational
therapy in a wide variety of settings, traditional and non-traditional, and in accordance
with many different models of practice. The OTD curriculum also recognizes that education
and therapy have an essential psychosocial component. Through practical experiences,
the student learns the importance of a holistic perspective, including empathy and
the therapeutic use of self in the analysis of therapeutic occupations. Finally, full-time
Level II fieldwork for six months and a semester of a capstone experience in an area
of personal interest are integral parts of the academic program, with joint clinical
and academic assignments. At the conclusion of the OTD program, the student is ready
to begin practice as an entry-level occupational therapist across the broad spectrum
of occupational therapy treatment settings.

OTD ValuesThe OTD program is firmly rooted in certain core values. Derived from occupational
therapy philosophy and graduate educational philosophy, these values commit the OTD
student to the following:

· An unshakable belief in the inherent dignity of the person

· A holistic conception of the occupational nature of the human being

· Expertise in occupation as an effective therapeutic method

· Application of the Conceptual Framework of Therapeutic Occupation

· Assumption of a new identity as a professional occupational therapist

· The use of advanced cognitive abilities, including abstract reasoning, in professional
life

· The importance of empathy in clinical practice and in professional life

· Research and scholarly inquiry in the profession

· Advocacy for the profession and those in need of therapeutic occupations

· A willingness to learn from and teach others, including peers

· The ability to engage in mentoring relationships

· Self-directedness and ultimate responsibility for one's own learning

In conclusion, the OTD student is a collaborator in a social movement dedicated to
the advancement of the profession of occupational therapy. Those in need of therapeutic
occupations will be the ultimate beneficiaries of the contributions of occupational
therapists educated in UT's OTD program.

References:National Society for the Promotion of Occupational Therapy. Certificate of Incorporation
of the National Society for the Promotion of Occupational Therapy. Incorporated in
the District of Columbia and notarized by James A. Rolfe in Clifton Springs, New York,
March 15, 1917.